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Bloodied Hunters
"The Wendól stood as legion, their claws and blades gleaming in the sun." "In the midst of this clash and din the heavens are rent in twain," "and the sons of Muspell come riding through the opening." "Kveld-Úlfr rides first, and before him and after him flames burning fire." "He holds aloft a large sword, which shines brighter than the sun." "On that day, the Great Hunter builds a mound of the fallen and his foes weep rivers of blood." - Taken from Ásbjorn's Edda. The Bloodied Hunters are a savage and unforgiving Successor Chapter created from the feral lineage of the Space Wolves, created as a part of the most recent Ultima Founding. Made up entirely of Primaris Space Marines, the Bloodied Hunters were created as one of several descendant Fenrisian Chapters from the line of Primarch Leman Russ, making up the unofficial collective known as the 'Sons of Russ' - to stand eternal vigil over the Imperial sectors that surround the Eye of Terror from the Forces of Chaos and encroaching xenos raiders. Like their namesake, the legendary wolf of Fenrisian mythology known as the Bloodied Hunter, this Chapter has garnered a fearful reputation as tireless pursuers and relentless hunters of the enemy - waiting patiently for the opportune moment to strike. They do not rush heedlessly into battle or proudly boast of their strength and battle prowess like their fellow cousin Chapters of the Sons of Russ. Instead they meticulously plan, manoeuvre and make tactical strikes to weaken the foe before the sudden final assault, often striking from multiple directions, but always with overwhelming and pitiless savagery, tearing an enemy force to shreds. Chapter History The origins of the Bloodied Hunters harkens back to the dark days following the disastrous conflict of the Horus Heresy and the subsequent bloody years of the Scouring. The Ultramarines Primarch Roboute Guilliman, ever the strategic genius and consummate planner, foresaw a time long distant in the future, where the Imperium would face its darkest hour. Guilliman saw the encroaching darkness when Chaos would threaten the very galaxy itself. In order to combat this dire threat, the Avenging Son enacted his ultimate contingency plan, to create a new breed of superior transhuman warriors - the Primaris Space Marines - to serve as the Imperium's last line of defence. To accomplish this monumental undertaking he charged the young tech-savant Belisarius Cawl with this herculean task. To ensure his success, Guilliman gifted Cawl with the archae-relic device known as the ''Sangprimus Portum'' which contained the potent genetic material of unadulterated Primarch DNA. Father of the Hunters To ensure his success, Belisarius Cawl sent agents abroad to the various home worlds of the First Founding Chapters to acquire potential subjects for his experimentation. Ásbjorn Kveld-Úlfr was one of those selected aspirants to take part in the early stages of the Primaris Project. Having been initially inducted into the Space Wolves, he had recently completed the Test of Morkai - one of the deadliest trials undertaken by Space Marine Aspirants - making the thousand-mile journey across the Fenrisian barrens bereft of any clothing or weaponry without succumbing to his innate bestial instincts of his recently implanted gene-seed. As he triumphantly approached The Aett (universally referred to as "The Fang"), the Space Wolves formidable fortress-monastery, he was abducted from the surface of Fenris shortly after the end of the Great Scouring in 021.M31. He was then taken to Cawl's subterranean laboratories located beneath the surface of Mars. Here, Ásbjorn would spend millennia in and out of cryo-sleep as he was further experimented upon. While he slumbered during prolonged hypno-indoctrination sessions, he would dream of the icy wastes and stormy seas of his deadly home world. However, as each conditioning cycle passed down the long millennia, soon his memories of his former life became jumbled and confused with his few wakening moments, where he experienced blurred, blinding visions of bright lumens and surrounded by a vast array of medicae equipment, as his olfactory senses were overwhelmed by the smell of recently spilled blood and anti-septic. As the millennia slowly drifted by, soon his memories of his past life became a half-remembered dream pushed to the furthest recesses of his subconscious. And so, Ásbjorn remained in this state of un-life for the next ten millennia, until the dawning of the 42nd Millennium, when the powers of the Dark Gods waxed strongest and the galaxy itself was torn asunder. Noctis Aeterna that has sundered the known galaxy in the wake of the 13th Black Crusade (ca. 999.M41).]] As the 41st Millennium drew to a close, the Cadian Gate was breached by a vast tide of heretic filth. These Forces of Chaos were led by the Warmaster of Chaos, Abaddon the Despoiler, the former First Captain of the traitorious Sons of Horus. The Warmaster launched his Thirteenth Black Crusade against the fortress world of Cadia and the Imperial worlds of the surrounding system. This sentinel world was the last obstacle standing in Abaddon's way to launching an all-out assault against the realm of Mankind, and his eventually final assault against the Throneworld itself. The Chaos invasions shed much Imperial blood on the planet's surface and left the Imperial fleets all but crippled. In a final act of spite, Abaddon sent one of his Blackstone Fortresses hurtling at surface of Cadia. The resulting impact succeeded in a massive explosion, which set off a devastating chain-reaction that saw the destruction of the scattered pylons upon the planet's surface, that for ten millennia had held back the warp, were rendered useless. With this final obstacle between the Immaterium and the material realm torn asunder, the planet was transformed into a roiling Daemons World. The formation of the Cicatrix Maledictum, or the Great Rift, is a vast tear in reality that stretches across the width of the galaxy - from the Eye of Terror itself to the far reaches of the Eastern Fringe - snuffing out the guiding light of the Astronomican and plunging the Emperor's realm into darkness. Both astrotelepathic communication and navigation through the warp is all but impossible, as the Noctis Aeterna engulfs the realm of Mankind. These disruptions would endure for variable times across the galaxy, lasting for only thirty-three solar days on Terra itself, but for solar decades or even centuries elsewhere. This period would see more devastating events consume the increasingly isolated worlds of the human-settled galaxy than at any time since the Age of Strife. The worlds of Humanity are buffeted by empyric energy, tearing apart the links between them, and many are lost forever. The Imperium of Man is essential split in twain - to those unfortunates on the far side, in the region now named the Imperium Nihilus or the "Dark Imperium," it is something much worse - the very gates of Hell. The opening of the Great Rift renders each planet a solitary island, alone in the savage Sea of Stars. Dawning of the Wolves Following the disaster of the Fall of Cadia, a miracle occurs in the Imperium's darkest hour - Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the Ultramarines - has been awakened from his millennia-long stasis, and has been made Lord Commander of the Imperium once more. He immediately gathers the various military forces of the Imperium and launches his Indomitus Crusade into the outer darkness, to take the fight against the Forces of Chaos itself. It is at this time that Guilliman reveals the fruits of Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl's ten millennia-long labours - the newly awakened legions of the Primaris Space Marines. This vast host of newly created transhuman warriors were not only created as reinforcements to existing Chapters, for Guilliman had decreed that new Chapters should be created as well, composed entirely of Primaris Space Marines. These Chapters, arrayed in the finest arms and equipment, can trace their genetic lineage back to the gene-seed of the First Founding, and scions of all nine Loyalist Space Marine Legions emerged from the vaults beneath the Red Planet. Thus, a new Founding takes place - the Ultima Founding. As the Crusade pushed outwards from Terra towards their many destinations, their ranks were swelled with ever more Imperial forces eager to join the Crusade led by the only known living son of the Emperor. As the Indomitus Crusade pushed ever deeper into the galaxy, Archmagos Cawl awoke thousands of Primaris Space Marines from stasis deep within the labyrinthine holds of his Ark Mechanicus Zar-Quaesitor. Some of these superior transhuman warriors were designated to be reinforcements for existing Chapters, while others comprised entirely new Chapters. One of these newly formed Primaris Chapters, named the 'Bloodied Hunters', are the proud inheritors of the legacy of the feral and powerful Space Wolves Primarch Leman Russ, the Wolf King, led by their newly appointed Chapter Master, the Great Hunter Ásbjorn Kveld-Úlfr. This Chapter is named after one of the thirteen wolves of Fenrisian mythology - the 'Bloodied Hunter' - the wolf of the hunt, a feral killer that rejoices in nothing greater than the tracking and killing of prey beneath a full moon. This moniker soon would soon prove prophetic, as the Bloodied Hunters lived up to their namesake as they eagerly prosecuted the wars of the Indomitus Crusade. Once deployed, the new Chapter made their way towards their designated sector in the Segmentum Obscurus and immediately took the fight to the Great Enemy. Following their victories in the Helheim Sector, the Bloodied Hunters sought to consolidate their gains and soon laid claim to the deadly world of Múspellsheimr, a feral death world of fire and rock. While surveying the surface of the planet, much to their surprise, they discovered the wreckage of a long-forgotten strike cruiser of the ancient VI Legion, which crashed upon this deadly planet sometime during the latter years of the Great Crusade. Discovering this ancient relic, the Bloodied Hunters took this is a sign of providence - that they had been guided by the spirit of the Wolf King to this world. Here, the Chapter established their formidable fortress-monastery amidst the wreckage of the ancient vessel, which laid half-buried in the largest peak of the world's tallest mountains. With the help of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Bloodied Hunters oversaw the construction of their mighty citadel, Eldjötnarheim, Hould of the Fire Giants, so-named as it was constructed upon the world's largest active volcano. The Bloodied Hunters had also been granted everything they would need to establish themselves as a fully functioning Space Marine Chapter, including; newly forged vessels for their Chapter fleet as well as new armouries and several newly-trained Forge-Wrights (Chapter Techmarines). The Chapter's specialists, known as Spirit Shamans (Chaplain/Apothecary), were also gifted with the means of creating new Primaris Space Marines, to ensure the Bloodied Hunters' survival as a Chapter. The Bloodied Hunters also ensured the Adeptus Mechanicus imported all matter of Fenrisian fauna, including - drakes, elk, bears and of course, Fenrisian wolves. Through genetic manipulation and selective breeding, the Chapter's Forge-Wrights ensured that only the hardiest specimens would survive to adapt to inhospitable conditions of their new, deadly home world. Once the Chapter had firmly established a working foundation upon their new home world and had fully functioning operations, they began sending individual Sveits ('Great Companies') or Herr ('Host') comprised of several companies, on multiple campaigns to assist several nearby beleaguered Imperial systems. But barely five years into their campaigns of vengeance, the entirety of the Chapter is recalled back to Múspellsheimr, for the Bloodied Hunters now faced their greatest test - a large invading Khornate warhost threatened their home system - and the Chapter's very survival itself. The Múspellsheimr Excoriation Chapter.]] During this time, another Space Wolves Successor Chapter - the Dusk Howlers - are busy prosecuting their own campaigns throughout the Segmentum Obscurus as a part of the broader wars of the Indomitus Crusade. While conducting one such campaign, the Dusk Howlers encountered another cousin Chapter created from the lineage of Russ - the Crimson Prowlers. This particular Ultima Founding Chapter had eschewed the establishment of a Chapter home world, preferring to take the fight directly to the enemies of Mankind aboard the vessels of their mighty war fleet. The two Chapters immediately formed a bond of kinship, as they both found one anther of like-mind and similar mien. For several decades, the two Chapters fought alongside one another during several campaigns, taking back those worlds lost to the Traitor Legions or were enslaved by the Neverborn. Chapter.]] Forming an alliance with several knightly houses and Astra Militarum regiments, this formidable Imperial coalition led a Crusade across several neighboring systems in the Segmentum Obscurus. During this time, the two Sons of Russ Chapters encountered yet another Chapter that hailed from the get of Russ - the Bloodied Hunters. This Ultima Founding Chapter hailed from the feral and inhospitable world of Múspellsheimr, located in the isolated Helheim System. Following the destruction of Cadia during the 13th Black Crusade, the warp storms that emanated from the formation of the Great Rift darkened the whole system, and in the ensuing maelstrom, a large Khornate warhost comprised of several infamous Chaos Warbands - Battleforged, Bloodborn Wolves and the Shackles of Khorne - materialised within the system to slaughter and enslave the worlds' dense populations. Despite the odds arrayed against them, the Bloodied Hunters stood steadfast, ready to sell their lives dearly for the sake of their people. The ferocious Astartes were heavily engaged with the bloody-handed Berserkers and their daemonic allies. Though the Bloodied Hunters fought bravely and made the Forces of Chaos pay dearly for every iota of the system they took control of, it was a losing battle. Falling back to their home world, the Bloodied Hunters prepared to make their final stand, determined to acquit themselves as true Sons of Russ, but inevitably, they would be surrounded and massacred by the overwhelming forces of the Blood God. Smashing through the ranks of the Khornate warhost, the Sons of Russ and their Imperial allies fought their way towards the ninth planet of the system, to relieve their beleaguered cousins. Only the timely arrival of the Dusk Howlers and Crimson Prowlers Chapters, were the abattoir rituals halted. The wolf-brethren fought with the same ferocity and passion as any son of Fenris, driving the blood-maddened berserkers on their heels. Soon the tide of battle turned, as several Imperial Knights and multiple Astra Militarum regiments added their strength to the Sons of Russ. Despite their tenacity, the overwhelming numerical superiority of the Imperial forces soon turned the heretics' attack into a desperate last stand. Eventually, they were forced to make a fighting withdrawal or risk annihilation. Grudgingly, the majority of the Khornate warhost withdrew from the surface of the planet, although no small few refused to retreat, and instead were slaughtered by the fury-driven Sons of Russ. Formation of the Great Pack .]] In the aftermath of their victory, the Great Hunter Ásbjorn Kveld-Úlfr (the 'Nightwolf'), Lord of the Bloodied Hunters, extended an invitation to his counterparts from the Crimson Prowlers and Dusk Howlers. The two Great Wolves, escorted by a large entourage of their Chapter's finest warriors, met within the great Feast Hall of the Bloodied Hunters' fortress-monastery. When they arrived at their destination, much to their astonishment, they found that their cousin Chapter's formidable fortress was comprised of a half-buried, ancient Space Wolves strike cruiser. After much feasting and drunken revelry, the three Chapter Masters came to an accord. They agreed to form the 'Sons of Russ' - an unofficial collective of Space Wolves Successor Chapters that would forever more stand as eternal sentinels over the Eye of Terror. Each Chapter would henceforth come to one another's aid when the need arose, without hesitation. Following the events on Múspellsheimr, the Sons of Russ departed one another's company to continue prosecuting the wars of the Indomitus Crusade in other Chaos-held regions. The Sons of Russ continued to wage their wars against the Great Enemy and their Neverborn allies, to free beleaguered Imperial worlds from their foul ilk. They worked their way sector by sector, planet by planet, freeing those who could be liberated and avenging those who could not. Nearly a century of fighting culminated in the epic Battle of Raukos - a major engagement between the forces of the Imperium commanded by the Lord Commander of the Imperium, Roboute Guilliman, and the Forces of Chaos around the strategically important Pit of Raukos, an ancient and isolated Warp Rift. Already reeling from the Guilliman's campaigns, the Forces of Chaos were delivered a decisive killing blow and were utterly decimated by the Imperial forces. In the aftermath of this monumental victory, Guilliman decided to disperse the Indomitus Crusade by holding a triumph much like the one the Emperor of Mankind had held in the wake of the Ullanor Crusade during the final days of the Great Crusade. It was at this time that the majority of the remaining legions of the Unnumbered Sons were disbanded and dispersed to already established Space Marine Chapters, while the remainder were formed into new Primaris Space Marine Chapters. One such Chapter was the newly created Dawn's Wolves, another Successor Chapter created from the lineage of the Leman Russ. Over the course of the Indomitus Crusade, these Sons of Russ proved themselves to be extremely competent in guerrilla tactics as well as consummate hunters, pursuing their foes relentlessly and tearing them apart at close-quarters. Following their inception, the Dawn's Wolves decided to eschew establishing a Chapter home world. They did not waste time consolidating defences on a world which would tie them down, for they wished to pursue the enemies of Mankind in their places of power, bringing them swift death in the form of their bolters, blades and sharpened incisors. Setting course for the Eye of Terror, the Dawn's Wolves carved a bloody-path as they slew the enemies of Mankind in righteous anger - purging pirates, Chaos cultists and all manner of xenos. Only when they met with the ferocious Bloodied Hunters and the Crimson Prowlers did the Dawn's Wolves First Hunt end. The latter Chapter had fought alongside the as-yet unnamed Dawn's Wolves when they still count themselves amongst the legions of the Unnumbered Sons, on a number of occasions during the early years of the Indomitus Crusade. The Dawn's Wolves would later meet, yet, another cousin Chapter - the Dusk Howlers. The discovery of these three fellow Space Wolves Successor Chapters who were never a part of the Unnumbered Sons was a time of trial for the Dawns. Their wild brothers were at first dismissive of what they perceived as congenial restraint from the younger Chapter. Only when a Chaos fleet emerged from the Eye of Terror, and the Dawn's Wolves immediately rushed to confront it ahead of their cousins, did the other Sons of Russ change their opinion of them. Spearheading the assault upon the vile forces of the Great Enemy, the Dawn's Wolves were quickly joined by their fellow wolf brothers. Once their foes had been crushed, each Chapter making up for the blind spots in the others' favoured tactics, the Bloodied Hunters, Dusk Howlers and Crimson Prowlers extended an offer to formally join their collective known as the Sons of Russ. The Dawn's Wolves eagerly accepted their cousin Chapters' invitation. The next six years were spent refining their alliance and learning how best to combine the tactics favored by the Chapters in a well-oiled warmachine. Since this auspicious occasion, the Sons of Russ have continued to protect the realms of Mankind from the forces of the Ruinous Powers, carving their own legends in the annals of Imperial history. Notable Campaigns Chapter Homeworld Fortress-Monastery Chapter Organisation As true inheritors of Russ, the Bloodied Hunters also eschew the tenants of the ''Codex Astartes'', preferring to maintain their own unique unit and organisation as well as a number of specialist ranks and formation not found in other Space Marine Chapters. The Bloodied Hunters have been conditioned to hold a near-suicidal disregard for danger and are trained to exploit this to the fullest on the battlefield, pitting their courage and might where it will be most effective; in the very teeth of the foe, overwhelming opponents by sheer speed and ferocity of attack, both in hand-to-hand combat and in brutal short-ranged fire fights. This tactical disposition accommodates this preference, leading to the creation of unique shock units such as the Gífr Vargr ('Savage Vargr') and Riplcaws, which have gradually come to comprise the bulk of the core infantry of the Chapter by the time the Battle for Raukos occurred towards the end of the Indomitus Crusade. The Herr ('host' or Chapter) consists of twelve Sveit ('Great Company' or 'Band of Warriors') designated by their number in the order of battle, with each nominally composed of a theoretical 100 or so Astartes, though in practice attrition and casualty rates mean this is never more than a notional figure. Below this strategic level, the Chapter's host is broken down into a shifting array of ad hoc formations either put together for a particular mission or beholden strongly to the personal authority of a particular company commander ('Redmaw' or 'Jarl'), and below them to a series of tributary sub-commanders, known as 'Claw Leader' (or 'Thegn'), regardless of their notional or accorded rank within the Codex's standard order of battle. These warband-like forces - while each is part of one of the overarching companies which comprise the Chapter - are largely autonomous and heavily infantry-focused. Formations *'Herr' - Translated as an 'army' or 'host'; Chapter equivalent. *'Sveit' - Translated as a 'Great Company' or 'band of warriors'; Company equivalent. *'Spear' - Squad equivalent. Officer Ranks *'Great Hunter' - Equivalent to a Chapter Master, the Great Hunter is currently Ásbjorn Kveld-Úlfr, the first to hold the title. He was chosen for this esteemed honour as he showed the most promise as a candidate of the early Primaris Project. He has continuously led the Chapter since 999.M41. The Great Hunter travels between the different Hunts, offering his skill in leadership and battle to his Jarls. *'Redmaw' - Equivalent to a Captain or a Wolf Lord, Redmaws (known alternatively as a 'Jarl') lead their Hunts separately from each other, only working together on joint-campaigns. These consummate warriors command one of the twelve Sveits ('Great Companies') that comprise the full Bloodied Hunters' military forces. It is not unusual to see a Redmaw accompanied by huge Fenrisian Wolves (imported from their forebear's homeworld of Fenris) and is always protected by a contingent of Dróttinn Vorðr (or 'Lord's Wardens') specifically loyal to him. Much of the time the attrition rate for Redmaws is fairly significant because of the Chapter's preference for close combat. However, some Redmaws have managed to see over a century pass in service to the All-father. *'Claw Leader' - The Hunters' equivalent of a Lieutenant (alternatively known as a 'Thegn') acts as a second to the Redmaw, leading part of the Hunt. Specialist Ranks *''Merki-Bera'' (Banner-Carrier) - Each tribe on Múspellsheimr has a Merki, a tall pole that is engraved with the history of the tribe, usually placed in the middle of camp and carried by a chosen warrior. Each of the Hunts also has their own Merki, and is carried by equivalent of a standard bearer. It's presence on the battlefield invigorates the Hunters and drives them to great deeds, so that their own names may be added to the pole. 'Merki' are also know to carry Níðstang or Nithing Poles - a pole used for cursing an enemy. These poles consist of a long, wooden pole with a recently severed head of the enemy (acquired by one of the Chapter's Gríma Seggr ('Shadow Warriors'; Scout Marine equivalent), and at times the skin of the foe is also laid over the pole, for added psychological effect. The nithing pole is then directed towards the enemy and the target of the curse. The curse is carved in Fenrisian runes on the pole, expressing the whole form of curse. *''Goði'' - Collectively, the various Chapter specialists of the Bloodied Hunters are known as goði or 'priests'. There are number of priests within the Chapter, including: **'Lord of Runes' - Chief Librarian equivalent. The greatest of the Chapter's Runecasters, he is proven to possess unparalleled ability as both a warrior and formidable psyker without peer. The sky is his to command, as he takes fierce delight in summoning ice-toothed blizzards and howling gales with which to scatter and destroy those in his path. **'Runecaster' - Librarian equivalent, a Runecaster is undeniably part of an order of psykers who consider themselves a breed apart from the Librarians of other Space Marine Chapters. Those chosen as Runecasters possess the psyker's gifts, but treat them warily as a potential curse as well as a blessing, and aided by a unique lattice of psycho-memetic pattern field technology incorporated into their 'Rune Armour' as a safeguard both against hostile outside forces and drawing down too much power themselves. They are able to manipulate their powers through these little-understood runic matrices and adapted Múspellsheimr rituals, and provide the Chapter with prognostication and shield it from Empyreal threats. **'Lord Speaker of the Dead' - Reclusiarch/Chief Apothecary equivalent. The senior-most member of the Chapter's spiritual warriors, the Lord Speaker of the Dead oversees the training of the Spirit Shamans and ensures that they administer to the physical and mental well-being of the Chapter's warriors and also choose the Aspirants to the Chapter from amongst the feral barbarian tribes of Múspellsheimr. This individual is also a master of the medical arts of healing and the lore of genetics, and ensures the safeguarding of the Chapter's genetic legacy. **'Spirit Shaman' - A hybrid specialist of a Chaplain/Apothecary equivalent. They are chosen from the most strong-willed and coldly self-controlled of the Chapter's warriors, to serve as its masters of discipline, instillers of its culture, wardens both of the gene-seed and the memory of the Chapter. A Spirit Shaman is charged with overseeing the implantation of the Chapter's gene-seed into potential Aspirants as well as monitoring the physical and mental well-being of their fellow warriors. The Spirit Shaman are also entrusted with the vital task of training new waves of warriors and the watching over of its ranks for dangerous incidences of instability, either mental or physiological. It was they who encode the Chapter's history within memetically-patterned "sagas", and who record and judge the deeds both of the living and the dead so that the honoured might be remembered and the dishonoured despised. **'Lord of the Forge' - A Master of the Forge equivalent, this individual is a master of the Chapter's armouries, its war machines and the technological arcana of the Bloodied Hunters. This dour warrior is notoriously intolerant of other Chapters' brands of tech-craft, but his efficacy in conjuring the tools of war is so great that no one can gainsay his effectiveness and mastery of the machine and all things technological. **'Forge-Wright' - A Forge-Wright serve in the same capacity for the Bloodied Hunters as the equivalent Techmarines of other more Codex-oriented Chapters. They look after the many technical systems within the Chapter's fortress-monastery of the Ice Halls, supervising engineering projects and all the complex technical tasks undertaken every day by the Astartes of Múspellsheimr. They often mask their technological lore behind an outwardly barbaric show of tech-mysticism whose temper, if not form, would do justice to the most obtusely arcane Adept of Mars. Their role is not simply to supply their Chapter with arms and maintain their wargear, but to ensure it remains as self-sufficient as possible. The skills of these grim and taciturn artisans are both respected and feared by their fellow warriors, most of whom view technology and the mechanical arts as a dark and frighteningly arcane science. Line Ranks *'Pack Spear'- Equivalent of a Sergeant, Pack Spears lead a squad of Astartes into combat. *''Vargr Bróðir'' - Translated as 'Wolf Brother'; Battle-Brother equivalent. *''Gríma Seggr'' - Translated as 'Shadow Warrior'; Scout Marine equivalent. *''Sveinn'' - Translated as 'boy' or 'page'; Neophyte equivalent. *''Dreng'' - Translated as 'young warrior' (plural Droengiar); Aspirant equivalent. Wolf Packs Like their genetic forebears, the Bloodied Hunters form their warriors into Packs. Each Pack will generally be made up of Astartes who have fought together for some time and will work together as a pack of Bloodied Hunters on the hunt. The Packs will work together to sniff and sound out their foes, hunting their prey mercilessly, until they run them down and tear them apart in a hail of blood and gore. The Bloodied Hunters have four primary types of Packs in the Chapter, including; the Dróttinn Vorðr, Gífr Vargr, Hárr Vargr and the Ripclaws, but they also maintain a few select packs made up of unique specialists and veteran elite as well: *''Dróttinn Vorðr'' - Translated as the 'Lord's Wardens' or 'Watchmen', these are the Great Hunter's boon companions, a Múspellsheimr tradition carried over from the tribal culture of their homeworld. These hand-picked veteran warriors are utterly loyal, having achieved exceptional feats of valour and martial prowess, to serve as their master's 'Dróttinn Vorðr'. These mighty warriors serve as the Bloodied Hunters version of an Honour Guard found in other Space Marine Chapters. Often, they will serve amongst the ranks of the various companies to impart their knowledge and experience to their younger brethren and will often times serve as a Pack Spear (Sergeant equivalent). In addition to access to the best suits of power armour and the most advanced wargear available to the Chapter, the Dróttinn Vorðr have earned the right to wear Terminator Armour. Unlike other Chapters, entrance into the elite ranks of the Watchmen is not the result of seniority or veteran status but is an honour earned directly through merit, through the display of extraordinary acts of courage and heroism under fire. *'Varangian Guard' - Each Redmaw ('Jarl') maintains a cadre of elite Varangian (Veteran Marines), comprising the very finest of the warriors under his command. The current Great Hunter is no exception, and maintains perhaps the largest host of Varangian of all the Redmaws, counting amongst its number many of the greatest warriors in the entire Chapter. The Chapter Master's Varangian is so large that it is split into several smaller Packs, many of which have earned great renown for their deeds, yet when they gather for war at the Great Hunter's side they are collectively known as the Varangian Guard. The Great Hunter's Varangian Guard will defend their lord with their very lives, and slay without mercy those who would raise blades against the Great Hunter. They are the shield and sword of their Chapter Master, fending off enemy attacks before landing a decisive killing blow. To face the Varangian Guard of Múspellsheimr in battle is to face death itself. *''Gífr Vargr'' - Translated as 'Savage Wolves', these packs make up the majority of the Chapter's fighting ranks. If Ripclaws survive long enough to mature into seasoned warriors, they are promoted to the ranks of the 'Gífr Vargr'. These veteran Astartes make up the Chapter's Drengr (tactical squads). The 'Savage Wolves' packs form the greater mass of the Bloodied Hunters' warriors. They are strong and resolute fighters, tempered by battle but as hungry for honour as any proud warrior of Múspellsheimr. They are experienced warriors, dour and sombre, proud of their skills, and rightly honoured by their younger brethren. In battle, they function as all but autonomous units in the field and are largely exempt from the reliance on direct commands from their senior command. They are expected to deal with myriad challenges on their own if need be, and above all to close with the enemy on their own terms; to seek and destroy. *''Hárr Vargr'' - Translated as 'Grey-Bearded Wolves', are the senior members of the Chapter - hoary with age - these proud and stoic warriors quite literally possess long, flowing grey bears, for as they age their hair has grown course and grey, and eventually will turn snow white. They are also endowed with long fangs, for as a Bloodied Hunters warrior ages his canines lengthen. There are relatively few 'Grey-Bearded' within the Chapter, for many warriors die in battle due to their violent lives and taking part in ceaseless conflict. Only a small minority have managed to survive to reach this venerable age. These warriors are the oldest living members in the Chapter outside their sorely wounded kindred that are interred within a sarcophagus of one of the Sons of Ymir (Dreadnoughts). These venerable warriors are renowned for their disciplined and steady demeanour even in the heat of battle, and hence are entrusted with a company's heavy weapons, making up the ranks of their 'Mund-Spilli' ('World-Destroyers'), the Chapter's devastator squads. These venerable warriors also make up the ranks of equivalent Aggressors and Hellblaster Squads of other Primaris Space Marine Chapters. Some of these warriors are arrayed in Gravis pattern power armour refitted to carry shoulder-mounted missile launchers, they are tasked with providing long-range fire support. In battle they are also armed with Flame Gauntlets that allows them to unleash blazing streams of promethium, mowing down any foes foolish enough to get in close-proximity of these deadly warriors. *'Riplcaws' - A Ripclaw is a newly inducted Astartes of the Bloodmoon Hunters and the equivalent of a Chapter's Sveinn (Neophytes) or Scout Marines of more Codex-oriented Chapters. Still struggling to control the spirit of the wolf within, Ripclaws are notoriously savage and fiercely aggressive. These hot-headed young warriors cannot wait to prove themselves, charging in howling packs at the front lines of the enemy in their efforts to garner personal glory. They prefer to fight at close quarters and are armed with melee weapons such as chainswords and bolt pistols. The Ripclaws are the shock troops of the Bloodied Hunters and spearhead the majority of assaults. If they survive to become mature and capable warriors, they will eventually be elevated to the veteran ranks of the 'Savage Hounds'. These hot-headed warriors make up the ranks of the Chapter's Leiptr (Assault Squads), and are arrayed with jump packs and close-combat weapons, so that they might close and get to grip with the enemy in short-order. These young warriors also make up the ranks of the equivalent Primaris Inceptor squads utilised in other Primaris Space Marine Chapters. They are entrusted with variant, reinforced Mark X Gravis power armour and equipped with heavy jump packs, which features duel cylindrical main thrusters, lateral manoeuvring jets and in-built grav chutes to help control low-orbit drop speeds. Arrayed with deadly, portable rapid-fire assault bolters, they can cut down their foes in a hail of deadly fire. Equipped with such formidable wargear and weapons, this provides the young warriors with the opportunity to indulge in their desire of breaking the back of any foe, cracking open their lines and sending the remnants of their army fleeing in sheer terror. *''Røkkr Vargr'' - For some Bloodied Hunters, the close-knit and boisterous brotherhood of a Pack is not well-suited to their personality, as they yearn for the open spaces and isolation of Múspellsheimr's deserts. Preferring to operate in small, elite cadres known as Spears (squad-sized formations), these warriors are selected to become a part of a company's Røkkr Vargr or 'Twilight Wolves', force. This unique combat specialist formation is tasked with performing rapid infiltration and lightning assaults. These silent and deadly warriors make up the ranks of the Bloodied Hunters' Gríma Seggr ('Shadow Warriors'), which are the Chapter's Scout Marines. These warriors are akin to the standard Primaris Reiver or Vanguard Marine Squads of other Primaris Chapters. This unique combat specialist formation is tasked with performing rapid infiltration and lightning assaults. As elite assault specialists, the Røkkr Hundr are given further specialised training and the finest wargear. Arrayed in Mark X Reiver pattern power armour which has been modified to display a canid-skull helm, they are the embodiment of the hunger of death that lies in the heart of their inherited genetic heritage of Russ. Their battle-plate is forged with lighter ceramite and a streamlined design, which allows for greater mobility, and its servo-motors are engineered to be completely silent. These warriors are masters of terror tactics, utilising their fearsome appearance and vox-amplified roars to stun their enemies, as they scythe down whole enemy units in a cacophony of bolt carbine fire, grenade detonations and deadly blades. The resultant slaughter sees their fallen enemies strewn about the battlefield - broken and lifeless - a perfect psychological tool that sows fear and confusion in the ranks of their still living foes. *'Sons of Ymir' - The 'Sons of Ymir' or Jötnar, make of the cadres of the Chapter's honoured ancients - battle-brothers interred within the sarcophagus of a Redemptor Dreadnought. These fallen warriors are more violent than the standard Dreadnought of other Chapters, having developed a reputation amongst the Adeptus Astartes for engaging in excess on the battlefield and unwarranted savagery that stains the character of those interred within. This infamy has become a form of self-fulfilling prophecy in some cases as the superstitious Forge-Wrights of the Chapter have begun to inter only elite fallen battle-brothers who already posses sagas relating deeds darker than most of their peers in pursuit of the foe. Most often these warriors have suffered terribly before being placed within the Dreadnought's sarcophagus. The pain of their mortal wounding drives them to bouts of killing mania when left conscious. Rarely are they awoken from their slumber unless the Chapter requires the utter annihilation of an enemy, for these war engines are never subtle weapons. They are always looked upon as troublesome and ill-omened allies at best by the battle-brothers of the Sveits (Great Companies). Though they are valued for their great prowess in combat and always afforded the respect that all honoured ancients are due, they are never fully trusted as is normally the due of such living ancients amongst the Get of Russ. Squad Formations *'Varangian' - Translated as 'sworn companion'; Veteran squad equivalent. *''Drengr'' - Translated as a 'bold men' or 'gallant fellows'; Tactical squad equivalent. *''Leiptr'' - Translated as 'lightning'; Assault squad equivalent. *''Mund-Spilli'' - Translated as 'world-destroyers'; Devastator squad equivalent. Non-Astartes Personnel *''Húskarl'' - Translated as 'retainer'; Chapter Serf equivalent. *'Thrall' - A Slave-Serf equivalent; they serve aboard the Chapter's vessels and perform menial duties, helping to maintain the Chapter's fortress-monastery, vessels and forge. Order of Battle Headquarters Companies Chapter Beliefs Chapter Gene-Seed Primarch's Curse: (Add Name Here) Combat Doctrine Deathwatch Service Notable Members Chapter Fleet Chapter Relics Chapter Appearance Chapter Colours Chapter Badge Chapter Relations Allies Enemies Notable Quotes By the Bloodied Hunters About the Bloodied Hunters Gallery Category:Imperium Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Space Marines Category:Space Wolves Successors Category:Ultima Founding